How Agricultural Enterprises Are Achieving Energy Independence Through Solar Panels and Batteries
In the current conditions of unstable electricity supply, agricultural enterprises in Ukraine are actively implementing their own energy solutions — from solar panels to powerful battery storage and generators. Among the leaders in this process are the seed farm “Rost Agro” in Poltava region and the agricultural firm “Mayak” from Cherkasy region.
This is reported by AgroReview
Own Energy: New Realities for Farmers
Mykhailo Bernatskyi, the head of the “Rost Agro” enterprise, explains that due to high energy demands, the farm was forced to urgently seek alternative power sources. The enterprise already operates several generators with capacities ranging from 100 to 250 kW, and the installation of solar panels with a capacity of 300 kW and a battery storage system of 900 kW is nearing completion.
Having its own energy equipment allows the farm to ensure the most critical processes: from irrigation to drying corn cobs, where only the fans have motors rated at 200 kW. However, as Bernatskyi notes, the company has not calculated the cost per kilowatt:
– We haven’t even calculated that. We only looked at the price of the equipment, the capacity of the panels, batteries, and inverters. The manufacturer provides a 10-year warranty, but I would like to see them in 10 years.
The cost of the backup power solution reaches about one million US dollars, which required attracting credit funds at an interest rate of 7% per annum. However, according to the manager, these investments may soon prove justified, as a significant increase in electricity tariffs is expected.
The main goal is complete self-sufficiency for the enterprise, without relying on selling surplus energy to the state. Bernatskyi is skeptical about the effectiveness of state administration in the area of purchasing surplus energy but considers it reasonable to cooperate with the state only in terms of financial support.
Challenges for Livestock Farming and the Search for Energy Independence
Oleksii Vasylchenko, the general director of the agricultural firm “Mayak,” emphasizes that for livestock complexes, stable electricity supply is a matter of survival. The loss of livestock due to power outages can be catastrophic for the business. That is why the enterprise is actively expanding its fleet of generators and installing modern batteries, which already allow the sports complex to operate autonomously for up to 10 hours.
According to him, the company began installing solar panels five years ago. Today, the enterprise has solar generation capacity of 2 MW, which allows it to fully meet its own needs during the summer months without using grid electricity.
Vasylchenko stresses that cooperation with the state regarding the sale of surplus energy is uninteresting due to administrative inefficiency and market uncertainty. Regarding biogas projects, their economic viability is possible only with capacities of 1 MW and under the condition of centralized manure logistics. Smaller technical solutions, in his opinion, can only be implemented with grants or state support.
In the current conditions, when electricity is available only for 4–5 hours a day, farmers are forced to make urgent decisions without spending time on long-term payback calculations. Vasylchenko notes that even if the payback period for a project reaches 20 years, the only alternative will be a complete halt to production.
Regarding cooperation with communities, the director of the agricultural firm “Mayak” expresses doubts about their interest in purchasing surplus energy, believing that communities should focus on their own energy supply and reducing consumption.
